Everything that tugs at my heart strings may find a place here... Perhaps that will echo in yours too..

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Mayavati's Masterstroke again

Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh on Friday decided to start recruitment for setting up a police force to guard parks and memorials for Dalit icons without waiting for Governor B L Joshi's nod for a bill and an ordinance for the same purpose.

There she goes in probably the only instance where a State Govt takes security issues quite seriously without any prodding from the Union Home Minister. Here I am reminded of a scene from Tamil, historical spoof movie named "Imsai Arasan (Troublesome king) 23rd Pulikesi" played by a leading Tamil comedian Vadivelu. The protagonist was seen to remark to his minister, "History is important, Mr.Minister". The setting of the scene goes as:
The lead actor, who is also the king, poses for a self-portrait, with his entire buffalo-like obese torso covered in white cloth. Near him, a man with a taut, toned body that would rival WWF veterans to shame stands with his face covered with White cloth. The artist draws the physique of the wrestler and over it the face of the king. When the minister, fascinated by the proceedings, expresses his surprise, the king dishes out his prophetic words of wisdom.

"History is very important, my dumb minister. How will the fools coming 100 years after my death know who I am. I'll leave this portrait as legacy for them to know who I am and how I lived. How could they ever know I've a lousy body."

Mayavati also seems to have been caught on by the history bug and wants to etch her name in the history. A classic case of misplaced priorities, especially in a backward state like Uttar Pradesh.

Or have I committed a sacrilege of denigrating a Dalit icon, Selfless Beacon of the oppressed by writing this piece! How bad of me to not even be able to stand a self-respecting oppressed woman etching her name in the banals of history. Oh sorry, I mean annals of history. I leave it to your better judgement as to who deserve the security more; Real men/women in flesh and blood, but who are anyway gonna die in 50 years, mired in poverty and diseases or the statues and symbols of Dalit identity and self-respect that is gonna proclaim to the posterity about a Supreme, Dalit leader who lorded over the masses in the Hindi heartland. The choice is obvious, really (i.e. the choice of Ms. Mayavati) unless you are insane, development-oriented person like me. Development can really wait, but not the Dalit glory.!!

God save the Queen and her people from her!! I am sorry for you people of Uttar Pradesh, you poor people certainly deserve a better leader.